Will there be problems landing in U.S. en route to Canada ?

[Suin]

Suin, where are you getting your information , please? I have read, and an immigration officer confirmed, that there is no non-visa transitting the USA any more.

If the flight from Bogota to Toronto to Vancouver is Air Canada, you overnight in Toronto. You can't even stay in the airport because it closes at something like 0200. So, would a permanent resident, landing for the forst time in TO, do the landing interview there, then continue on to Vancouver?

Just think, from then on, with Canadian residency, travelling becomes a whole lot easier!!

hello,
I didn't say that you don't need visa - to fly through the US you need to apply for a transit visa in the local US embassy or consulate. for this purpose you need to show your ticket as well as all the required documents.

http://www.immihelp.com/visas/nonustransit.html

http://www.immihelp.com/visas/transitvisa/

[toby]

True, PMM, but Mexico airport has a non-visa transit lounge.  I checked this out with the embassy when I was planning to take my Chinese wife to visit Costa Rica.

The key considerations are: 

1) Make sure the air ticket is through to Vancouver; even if there is a change of airline, as long as the two airlines have a recoprocal agreement, the travellor need not leave the secure area and book in with the new airline.
 
2) The luggage must be checked through to Vancouiver. If not, the travellor must retrieve the luggage, exit the secure area with luggage, and check it in again. If it is necessary to retrieve luggage, the travellor needs a transit visa.

In this case, no need to contact the Mexican embassy to confirm; I already did in February.

[genio]

Thanx again PMM, looks like the only safe way is Air Canada , Bogota-Toronto-Vancouver. I wish there were a cheaper direct flight, but it appears Air Canada pretty much has a monoply on that route. Not much canadian/international competion. Well, it will just be wonderful to soon be through this process. It will all be SO worth it. (:

[genio]

Wow! Toby, I had not read your post before my last message,,,,that would be super great news!

[toby]

Genio:

I did not mention that Mexico immigration will want to see your visa to enter Canada, and your plane ticket to Canada. No problems, since you have them.

Desde luego, y dado que tu compañera habla español, todo será fácil.

I gave a very useful website for checking these visa requirements out in another post within this topic.

Good luck.
 

[genio]

Toby, I am a bit lost as regarding "my visa" to enter Canada. I went to Colombia in 2007 and 2008. I just had my passport. Didn't need a visa to go there,so when I come to Mexico, I will just have my passport as a Canadian citizen. Surely I don't need a visa to enter Mexico? Our flight would be on Mexicana Bogota-Mexico city- Vancouver. So our baggage would be to Vancouver, tickets on same airline. So, even if we both had to stay in the "lounge" area? something like a visa exempt country within a country lol., seems it might be fine. Please expain if you think I would have any problems. Also, I couldn't find your posts on other threads, other than landing in U.S. and the need for visas. Thanx tons Toby. Praise God for all the help we have all gotten on here helping each other !

[whoopi83]

Whoopi: 

I must disagree. Maybe you are right in the case of a Colombiana; I haven't checked. But I do know that -- for one example among many -- my Chinese wife needs a consular visa to get into Costa Rica with her Chinese passport, BUT with Canada residence and Chinese passport she can get an automatic 30-day visa entering Costa Rica. The possession of Canada residence makes a big difference.

TYhis site is a good place for initial research, then confirm by contacting the country's embassy to be sure.

http://skyteam.com/about/travelhelp/travelinfo.html

Toby - I do not know about China and Costa Rica, however I can assure you that anyone entering the United States is admitted on the basis of their citizenship not residence (and it was this specific question I was answering).  Entering the US is no easier as a PR from Canada only as a citizen from Canada. 

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1262.html

[mitamata]

genio, since you're a citizen of Canada, you obviously don't need a visa to enter it. Toby means your wife will need to show her visa (and your daughter as well, if she's also immigrating). 
Your plan sounds fine to me, good luck!

Toby, I am a bit lost as regarding "my visa" to enter Canada. I went to Colombia in 2007 and 2008. I just had my passport. Didn't need a visa to go there,so when I come to Mexico, I will just have my passport as a Canadian citizen. Surely I don't need a visa to enter Mexico? Our flight would be on Mexicana Bogota-Mexico city- Vancouver. So our baggage would be to Vancouver, tickets on same airline. So, even if we both had to stay in the "lounge" area? something like a visa exempt country within a country lol., seems it might be fine. Please expain if you think I would have any problems. Also, I couldn't find your posts on other threads, other than landing in U.S. and the need for visas. Thanx tons Toby. Praise God for all the help we have all gotten on here helping each other !

[toby]

Sorry about the needless confusion Genio.  Mitamata's clarification is correct.  My comments about visas applied to the "Colombiana" (i.e. female person from Colombia) in your family.

Here is the website:  http://skyteam.com/about/travelhelp/travelinfo.html

To see the effect having Canadian residency exerts, click "Canada" in the "resident alien" box.
 
A Colombian (a/o) transiting through Mexico does not need a Mexico visa if continuing on to Canada, but must stay in the secure area.  Once the Colombian has a Permanent residency card, no need to stay in the secure area in the Mexico airport.  This is why I said earlier that having Canadian residency will make international travel easier.

Curiously, having Canadian residency does not seem to eliminate the need for a visa to transit through the USA. Yet the CIC website states that you do not need a multi-entry temporary visa if you intend to visit the States during your visit to Canada.

Does this not suggest that a visitor with a Canada visa – especially a permanent one – would not need a visa to visit or transit through the States?

This is something worth checking out, since the flights through the US are often shorter and cheaper than via Mexico or Panama, etc.

Good luck, y que vayan ustedes con dios. (That's for your spouse.  Time to learn Spanish!!)

[james9655]

Toby

Thanks for posting this info.  I never considered Mexicana as an alternative to AC from Colombia, but even to Toronto the flights, while a little longer, may be less expensive and the connections are good.

[genio]

James,from what I saw last week, the Air Canada route Bogota-Toronto-Vancouver price was something like $2200, I think excluding taxes. Bogota-Mexico city-Vancouver for two adults and one 8 year old is about $1290. Appears about falf price. Also would be nice to land in Vancouver, then not be worried about how long it will take through customs and waiting for the next flight. Thanks again all, and esp. mitamata,,,Lo siento Tobi, mi espanol,,,,uh sucks ): but hey, it is getting better. Wonder how many gringos go to latin american countrys and find wonderful wives who can only say "hello kitty".I dread the day she wakes up and understands how little espanol yo entiendo?):

[Karlshammar]

No, what they mean is that if you have a single-entry visa, you will be allowed back in Canada on it if you have visited the U.S.A., and you will not require a multiple-entry visa to re-enter Canada. It is not a comment on the entry requirements of the U.S.A.

As has been stated multiple times in this thread, the U.S.A. will not give you any special privileges to enter their country based on Canadian PR. You will need a visa until you become a Canadian citizen (unless a citizen of a visa-waiver country, which is not the case here).

Curiously, having Canadian residency does not seem to eliminate the need for a visa to transit through the USA. Yet the CIC website states that you do not need a multi-entry temporary visa if you intend to visit the States during your visit to Canada.

Does this not suggest that a visitor with a Canada visa – especially a permanent one – would not need a visa to visit or transit through the States?

This is something worth checking out, since the flights through the US are often shorter and cheaper than via Mexico or Panama, etc.

[toby]

Good clarification, Karlshammer.  And Whoopi -- kudos for being correct about the USA, and its little respect  for permanent residency in Canada.

At the end of the day, we all can add up our brownie points and trade them for a latte.

[Karlshammar]

Hehehe, I don't like coffee; do you guys mind splitting a hot chocolate with cream instead?

[whoopi83]

Good clarification, Karlshammer.  And Whoopi -- kudos for being correct about the USA, and its little respect  for permanent residency in Canada.

At the end of the day, we all can add up our brownie points and trade them for a latte.

As well as the "little" respect, they also charge visa exempt nationals - non Canadians - $6 every time you cross a land border.  Perhaps that's for their lattes...